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Doctor insights on:
Callus

Callus (Overview)

A callus is an area of skin that has become toughened, thick, and hard as a result of repeated pressure, friction or other irritation. Most commonly found on the feet due to walking. Generally calluses are not harmful. Calluses can also form on the fingers due to use of writing utensils, musical instruments, or even rock climbing. They are formed by keratinocytes in the outer layer of skin.

Callus (Overview)

A callus is an area of skin that has become toughened, thick, and hard as a result of repeated pressure, friction or other irritation. Most commonly found on the feet due to walking. Generally calluses are not harmful. Calluses can also form on the fingers due to use of writing utensils, musical instruments, or even rock climbing. They are formed by keratinocytes in the outer layer of skin.

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Self-care, or doctor:
For self-care of calluses, one can try over-the-counter treatments available at most drugstores. Usually, one puts a medicine on the callus to soften it, and later sands or scrapes it down with a rough stone. At a doctor's office, the doctor can shave or currette away thickened dead skin layers.
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4

You don't:
A callus is the result of pressure over a weight bearing area. If it is on the bottom of the foot a support to reorient pressure may be helpful. A consultation with a podiatrist may help to resolve your problem. In some cases surgery may be necessary.
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5

Calluses:
The classic method is to buy a pumice stone and just file them down. The skin of calluses and very thick and has no nerve tissue, so it is not painful at all. You just have to keep after them and do this on a regular basis. The other approach is to use a combination of dr. Scholl's donut pads to relieve the pressure and to apply a film of salicylic acid (or plaster) on a daily basis to the callus.
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7

Callus removers:
There are chemical callus removers and mechanical ones. Mechanical ones are sharp blades usually on a handle. If the cut of the blade goes under the callus and into live skin, it will damage the skin. Chemical callus removers like salicylic acid liquid or plaster peel away skin by dissolving keratin, the hard part of the callus. If this peeling goes deep enough it will irritate the skin.
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8

Maybe:
Calluses are caused by pressure from activities such as manual work, exercise, sports or even walking. Older people will develop calluses quicker due to deterioration of tissue covering pressure areas. If a younger person is an avid weight lifter he may develop calluses on his hands or a runner on there feet.
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Callus is a noun meaning a localized thickening of the skin, and a verb meaning to form that skin thickening (especially on the palm of a hand or the sole of a foot, caused by repeated pressure or friction). Callous has a meaning related to callus, but callous is not used to describe skin. As an adjective, it means toughened or unfeeling. As a verb, it means to make or become callous in personality.
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